Chief judge appeals for county assistance

Kathleen Kroll has workshop, explains needs

April 23, 2008|By Nancy L. OthM-sn Staff Writer

Faced with likely state budget cuts, Chief Judge Kathleen Kroll came to a Palm Beach County Commission workshop on Tuesday with videos, statistics, a pop quiz and several judges to convince commissioners they should increase county funding for the courts.

It's the first time Kroll has done a workshop for the commission to illustrate the system's needs. She peppered commissioners with pop quiz questions designed to make them aware of the impact of court services, such as how much revenue is generated for the county from court-related operations. Answer: nearly $13 million.

During the hourlong presentation, commissioners saw video footage of an emotional drug court graduate, as well as a traffic court hearing. They also heard presentations from judges who pitched ways to bring in more revenue.

County Judge Laura Johnson suggested that some money could be made by increasing the $75 vehicle immobilization fee that convicted drunk drivers must pay. Circuit Judge Jeffrey Winikoff said that law firms pay for high-tech visual aids during trials and use courthouse equipment for free. Why not charge to use the courthouse televisions? Winikoff asked.

Circuit Judge Edward Garrison said he saved the sheriff money by ordering inmates not to be transported to court for routine hearings unless their attorneys request their presence, saving $118 for each round trip. While that measure did not save money for the court budget, it saved the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office money, Garrison said.

The proposed judicial budget for the upcoming fiscal year is about $3.3 million, a 13.6 percent increase from last year. A chunk of that increase, $200,000, is for traffic court, which faces severe cutbacks in the state budget. Last year's budget of $2.9 million represents 0.086 percent of the total county budget, Kroll reminded commissioners.

"We think we provide quite a bit for the citizens of Palm Beach County," Kroll said.

Among the programs paid for by the county are drug court, elder justice, court psychology, juvenile court support services, and managers for domestic violence and mental health cases.

Besides traffic court funding, Kroll also is asking for several new positions including receptionists for the courthouse, a senior programmer and three other computer specialist positions that would help develop databases and do statistical monitoring of the jail population to help keep track of which inmates have not yet seen a judge.

Aaronson suggested that Kroll's staff get together with the county staff to examine ways that fees could be increased. And he emphasized that state legislators have mandated the budget cuts that have put the state courts in a position where judges are battling for dollars for the judicial system.

"The court is getting shortchanged by the state," Aaronson said. "As a result, you're asking us to make up what the state is not giving you."

Commissioner Jess Santamaria said he would support the budget request once anything that is extravagant or unreasonable is removed. "We can't afford a deficient judicial system, we just can't afford it, as simple as that," he said.

Nancy L. OthM-sn can be reached at nothon@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6633.